


No One Like You

by kkwriter



Category: Captain America (Movies), Captain America - All Media Types, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Assistant Natasha, CEO Steve, F/M, Romance, Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-28
Updated: 2017-09-18
Packaged: 2018-09-12 19:02:49
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 12,569
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9085819
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kkwriter/pseuds/kkwriter
Summary: When Natasha Romanoff begins working at Rogers Corporation as Steve Rogers' assistant, she was expecting it to be much like working at Stark Industries. Boy, was she wrong.





	1. Chapter 1

 

The elevator she was currently in was going too slow for her liking. It was also stopping at every floor to drop off people and pick up new. To make matters worse, she was trying to get to the last floor of this goddamn 52-story high building. She tapped her fingers on her résumé and let out a frustrated sigh.

 

Natasha Romanoff was definitely running late to her job interview at _Rogers Corporation_. Tony Stark, her previous boss and now friend, had recommended her to Steve Rogers and assured her she would more than likely get the job.

 

However, she was starting to doubt that.

 

She'd heard a lot about Steve Rogers. Who hadn't, though? He was known all over the world as a cold and ruthless _business_ man. And although Tony had guaranteed her Steve Rogers was actually a big softie _and_ also in desperate need of an assistant as he'd just fired his last one for getting a lip piercing, Natasha was almost sure he would not tolerate her tardiness.

 

As she debated whether it was a good idea to get off the elevator and run up the stairs of the remaining floors, someone to her right nudged her arm with theirs. Nat turned her head to the side and, for the first time since she got in the elevator, noticed a man standing next to her. He had this aura to him that immediately made you feel comfortable. A kind, contagious smile was on his face and Natasha couldn't help but smile back.

 

He tucked his black, leather folder under his arm and held his opposite hand out. Natasha reached for it to take it in hers, and shook it. "I'm Phil Coulson from Safety Handling, Instructors of Efficiency, and Logistic Division with Rogers Corporation."

 

"Natasha Romanoff," Natasha replied, amusement clear in her smile. "That's quite a mouthful." She added.

 

His smiled never left his face. Natasha decided she already liked Phil and hoped to become good friends with him if she did get the job. "I know. We're working on it." He answered, shrugging his shoulder a bit. "We're here, by the way."

 

Natasha furrowed her brows in confusion. He pointed to the open elevator doors and she instantly understood. She was finally on the 52nd floor! "Finally," Natasha said, relief in her voice. "I don't get why they keep their offices on the top floor. If I was CEO of a company with _fifty-two_ floors, I would definitely keep my office on the first floor... Right next to the entrance."

 

Phil let out a chuckle next to her as he placed his hand on the small of her back and guided her out the elevator doors, him behind her.

 

But... How had he known where she was headed?

 

"How did you know where I was going?" Natasha asked the man.

 

"I came from the floors underground and I noticed you as soon as you got in the elevator on the first floor. You have this thing about you that catches anyone's attention. Could be your beauty or the red hair or both.. Your pick." A blush spread across Natasha cheeks as she timidly smiles. "Your frustration was obvious. I figured you were heading to the last floor when we were on the 47th floor and you still hadn't gotten off."

 

Natasha chucked, shaking her head. As they walked through the long and wide corridors of Rogers Corporation, she couldn't help but notice the interior design of the building was beautiful. The floors were made of marble and the walls were a deep brown with white trimming. The ceiling was high, lamps and chandeliers cascading down, giving the building a modern and elegant look. The walls to some offices were made of glass, allowing you to see what was going on in the room. There was a very nice and very large sitting area off to one side. The seats were made of black leather and the tables were black with just a bit of white splashes in it. The seating area surrounded a brick chimney that reached all the way up to the to the ceiling and was massive. Next to it, was a coffee shop and a sandwich shop much like Subway.

 

However, what caught Natasha's full attention was the wall that had in it written in big, bold, block letters 'Rogers Corporation' and the water fall that fell from the very top of the wall, ran through the words, and finally fell into a massive fountain on the floor. It screamed Tony Stark. She could only begin to imagine what Steve Rogers was really like.

 

Natasha let out a low whistle. "Welcome to Rogers Corporation," Phil said next to her. She'd almost forgotten he was there as they walked through the luxurious building, passing sophisticated-looking men and women, dressed in expensive clothing. Rogers Corporation was absolutely beautiful and simply breathtaking.

 

"This is really something else." Natasha observed. "I mean, I use to work at Stark Industries and- well we all know Tony, but it was nothing like this."

 

Phil nodded, "Steve is an artist. He has a really good taste. I think that's what helped him decorate the building and make it look as good as it does."

 

Natasha's eyes widened and her mouth fell open at the newfound information as she gasped. She'd met men who ran businesses so big and successful, men like Tony Stark and Justin Hammer, who were cocky and so arrogant, yet, learning that Steve Rogers had decorated his own company _and_ that he was an artist changed the opinion she'd already created on her mind about Steve Rogers. "He decorated this whole place? All fifty-two floors?"

 

Beside her, Phil let out a laugh, "Well, he gave his ideas to the interior designers he hired and approved everything that came in. So, yeah, he decorated almost the whole place." Natasha raised a perfectly shaped eyebrow in confusion so Phil went on. "There's actually fifty-three floors in this building. One is just underground."

 

"Did you say underground?"

 

Phil nodded, "That's where we work,"

 

"We?" "

 

"My team from Safety Handling, Instruc--, You know what I mean." He let out a chuckle. "We really need to work on that. Anyway, I believe you're headed to Steve's office?" He asked, coming to a stop near a very elegant frosted glass door that was translucent, but, somehow, not transparent, therefore did not allow one to see what is going on on the opposite side. According to the sign proudly hanging on the door that read 'Steve Rogers, CEO', Natasha was standing in front of the office of the man in charge of a large company worth billions of dollars. She was standing in front of the office of the man in charge of deciding whether he'd hire her or not. Suddenly, Natasha was feeling nervous. She'd been confident all week long, preparing her résumé with all her qualifications and recommendation letters. She knew she was more than qualified to work at Rogers Corporation- she was a very smart, independent woman who had completed all the required degrees, maybe not at the best universities Steve Rogers and Stark had been able to attend, but still completed. _And_ with good marks, might she add.

 

Natasha nodded, smiling genuinely at Phil. "It was great meeting you. Wish me luck," She stuck out her hand and he took it in his, shaking it. Natasha smiled one last time at the man before turning around to knock on the door, opening it when she heard a muffled 'come in' from the other side.

 

Natasha entered the room and shut the door behind her with a soft thud. She let out a nervous sigh before she turned around to meet Tony's good friend. A man she had seen so many times on magazines, TV, the Internet, and billboards.

 

Nat cleared her throat and wiped her sweaty palms on her black pencil skirt. "Hello, my name is Natasha Romanoff. I'm here for the job interview." She said, smiling nervously at the much occupied man seated on a large leather chair behind a desk made of dark polished marble.

 

He didn't even glance in her direction as she walked forward and placed her résumé on his desk. "Take a seat," He muttered, still staring intently at his computer screen. She nodded, even though he wasn't going to be paying attention to the gesture, and took a seat in one of the black colored leather chairs.

 

Natasha knew who Steve Rogers was. She'd seen him countless times on TV and on magazine covers. Who was Steve Rogers, exactly? Steve Rogers was the twenty-nine year old CEO of one of the largest hotel chains. Steve Rogers was the heir of the Rogers fortune. Steve Rogers was a ruthless business man and a billionaire with too many cars and a couple of houses. Most importantly, Steve Rogers was the sexiest man in the world according to Forbes magazine and many women all over the world. And Natasha couldn't say she didn't agree.

 

Steve Rogers had the whole package: blonde hair, piercing blue eyes, a killer body. Simply put, he's absolutely swoon-worthy.

 

As she patiently waited, Natasha couldn't help but notice that Steve's office was absolutely beautiful just like the rest of his company. The floor was different shades of brown with a pattern of rectangles of the same length, but different width. There was an indentation on the ceiling and four long, white rectangular shaped lamps fell down closely packed together from it. Underneath the modern lamps, there was a sitting area. The center table was made of black tinted glass and around it there was two leather couches. On a corner, there was a piano and on the piano there was family pictures with Steve on most of them. The office was absolutely beautiful and modern.

 

A few silent moments passed before he finally spoke up. "I'm terribly sorry, that was very rude of me. We've been very busy these last few days," He finally did look up from his computer screen and his eyes flickered in her direction briefly. And then did a double take. Steve let out an annoyed sigh and leaned back in his chair. Natasha felt her eyes widen slightly and she visibly swallowed from nervousness. Was she not wearing the correct clothing? No, that couldn't be it. She'd worked at an office before and her black pencil skirt and navy blue shirt were something she would have worn to Stark Industries. Natasha mentally groaned as she realized she had been Tony Stark's assistant and, knowing Tony, he wouldn't say anything if her attire had been inappropriate.

 

He crossed his arms across his chest, back to his chair, and stared intently at her. He looked intimidating, and seemed to be frustrated and annoyed.

 

Natasha licked her lips and cleared her throat. Maybe she was misinterpreting things. "Sir, Mr. Stark sent me. If-"

 

Steve cut her off, "I know Stark sent you. He called me a couple hours ago to remind me I had a meeting with his previous assistant." Natasha frowned on confusion. What was wrong? "However, I thought he was being serious." Steve wasn't quite yelling, but his voice was loud and harsh. He started shuffling through some papers as he dismissed her. "Tony.. He's my friend, but his pranks and constant attempts on setting me up are getting out of hand. Please inform Tony I will not tolerate his jokes while I'm at work. Have a good day, ma'am."

 

Natasha's frown deepened. Was he being serious? He was kicking her out of his office because he thought this was a joke? Natasha huffed, "Sir, Tony promised me an interview and I will not leave without one." She declared firmly.

 

His lip started to pull up into a devilish smirk and chills ran through her spine. She was starting to see a glimpse of the ruthless man Steve Rogers was. "Alright, I'll humor you. Where did Tony find you? Are you the daughter of one of his business partners or are you a prostitute trying to seduce me? Better yet, have you slept with Tony?"

 

Natasha's eyeballs widened in shock, her eyebrows shot up, and she almost gasped, but stopped herself a fraction of a second before she did. True, she felt humiliated because apparently Steve thought she was a woman sent by Stark to sleep with him. A part of her wanted to get up and slap him hard across the face, but a voice in the back of her mind kept insisting she had to comprehend Steve thought Tony was pulling a prank on him and he probably felt offended. She decided to listen to that pestering voice that kept nagging her... Of course, with her own twist. She couldn't completely forgive him without defending herself.

 

 _Alright, Steve Rogers, two can play at the same game,_ she thought as she put a smirk on her face and lifted an eyebrow at Steve. "Thank you, Mr. Rogers, I'll answer your questions truthfully." She said in a slightly higher, girly voice. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, however, she wiped the smirk out of her face and put a serious one on. "Am I the daughter of a rich business man or am I a prostitute? I'm none, actually. I was Tony's assistant for three years up until a week ago. I really am here for the interview, Mr. Rogers."

 

Steve was downright horrified. He'd even paled a little. He couldn't say why, but he believed the woman sitting across from him and he felt so embarrassed in that moment. It could've been the determination in her voice. Or the fact that she dared speak to _him_ that way. Perhaps both had played a role in his urgent need to apologize. "Ma'am, I'm s-"

 

"No, wait," Natasha cut him off. "You asked another question and I am answering it. _Truthfully_. I've actually never slept with Tony and I don't ever intend to. Tony is my good _friend,_ and so is Pepper. In fact, I'm her maid of honor."

 

Steve ran a hand through his hair, clearly mortified. Natasha almost smiled in amusement at the red faced man in front of her. "Ma'am, I'm so _so_ sorry. Oh god, I feel so embarrassed. I just thought Tony had sent you for completely different reasons. You see, he's been trying to set me up on dates for the longest time, trying to find _the one_ for me." He rolled his eyes at this. "And you're just so..." He trailed off, scratching at the back of his neck and cleared his throat. "Um.. You're, you know, beautiful. I assumed... I'm truly sorry, ma'am. Please forgive me."

 

Amusement filled her. Steve Rogers- _the cold and merciless Steve Rogers_ \- was stuttering out of embarrassment. She was grateful she was able to witness such thing. He was also calling her beautiful? Holy hell! That was enough to accept his apology. That and the fact that she needed and desperately wanted the job.

 

Natasha pretended to think, "Mm.." She cracked a grin, "Deal, but only if you hire me."

 

Steve let out a laugh, amused. He grabbed her résumé from the table. "Let's see... Natasha Alianovna Romanoff. You're fluent in English, Russian, French, Latin... Latin?" He looked up from the folder to meet Natasha's eyes. "Latin is a dead language. You can read or you can write Latin, but no one speaks Latin."

 

Natasha raised her eyebrow and shrugged lightly, a smile on her face. "Well, I can do all three."

 

Steve smiled at Natasha, before looking down at her résumé on his hands. She was taken aback by the beauty of this man. Sure, she'd seen dozens of pictures of Steve, but they really did no justice. Up close, she could see his eyes were _really_ blue. His shoulders seemed to be more broad and the suit's jacket did not hide the fact that he was very built.

 

"This is really good, Miss Romanoff, you're hired." Natasha smiled gratefully. "You'll start tomorrow. Be here at 8am everyday unless told otherwise by me. You're office will be given to you tomorrow at your arrival, it's right next to mine. And you should know I like to have coffee every morning from a coffee shop not far from here called 'Howling Commando'. I drink a large caffè macchiato and it will be your job to bring one for me every day." Steve stood up and held out his hand. Another thing Natasha noticed was Steve's height. He was a giant next to her tiny frame. "Welcome to Rogers Corporation,"

 

Natasha nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Rogers, I'll see you tomorrow." She spun around and walked to the door.

 

Three things that shocked Natasha had just occurred. First, she had just touched Steve Rogers' hand and she'd enjoyed it. They were soft, yet firm, she noticed as he gave her hand a squeeze when they shook hands. The second one, she would be working with him five days a week for long hours. Natasha was already excited for tomorrow. Lastly, her meeting with Steve had turned into a completely embarrassing scene.

 

"Miss. Romanoff?" Steve called.

 

Natasha turned around. She was standing at the door, hand on the knob. "Yes?"

 

"Don't come in late again,"

 

Well, _shit_. 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for reading!  
> I've been on AO3 for over a year simply reading. Recently, I got the courage to write my own story because I love writing and most of all reading. I don't think I'm a great writer, but I wanted to share my own ideas. This was, of course, inspired by Iron Man 2 :D


	2. Chapter 2

 

Howling Commando was a very popular coffee shop in New York. The coffee and pastries were delicious, but what really made Howling Commando so popular was the homey feel it had to it. The bookshelves that decorated a wall of the store, the chimney surrounded by comfortable couches that gave the perfect environment to read a book, and the jukebox on a far corner clearly played a major role in bringing people back. Of course, it would never quite reach the popularity of Starbucks, but, nonetheless, the coffee shop had people coming in and out at all hours.

 

Natasha had only ever been to Howling Commando two other times. The first she had been invited by her good friend Wanda, and the second she went in alone on a cold Saturday morning. She remembers deciding to stay and enjoy the coffee there, sitting on a comfortable couch as she picked out a book to read from the shelves. Today, though, she would be visiting the famous coffee shop for the third time to pick up coffee for her boss. Soon, Natasha would be a regular.

 

The night before, Natasha had made sure she scheduled her alarm to sound off a good thirty minutes earlier than what she initially planned. She picked out her clothes and even decided to shower then than in the morning. Either way, Natasha was somehow still running late. She stationed her car on the nearest parking spot, thankfully it was right by the entrance doors, and quickly got out of her car.

 

Natasha really did not want to arrive late on her first day. Don't come in late, Steve had warned her. Still, here she was, running late and in a hurry to order her boss’ coffee. She could only pray there was not a long line of people waiting to order their drinks. When she opened the door to the store, the bell jingling above her head signaling the arrival of a customer, Natasha spotted two men standing in line. Nat was aware she was not a morning person, so the two men were not one, but two too many.

 

Nat tapped her feet against the wood floor and looked down at her watch. _7:25,_ it read. She had plenty of time.

 

“Next,” called the young man behind the cashier. Natasha casted a glance in his way and noticed it was her turn.

 

She walked forward to the cashier. “Can I have a large caffè macchiato,” She wasn't used to being the type of assistant that got her boss his coffee. When she worked for Tony, it had been Happy who was in charge of getting him his morning drink. Then, during the day, Tony would prepare his own drink. Usually always alcoholic after the coffee. She did prepare her own coffee with the coffee machine that was in her office, though. Since she wasn't sure if she would be provided one now, Natasha decided to order her coffee that instant. “I'd also like a medium black coffee, please.”

 

The young man’s finger moved as he typed her order. “Sure. Anything else?”

 

“If you could add two shots of vodka, that would be great.” Natasha said, jokingly.

 

The man looked up at her. He raised his eyebrow and flashed her a crooked smile in amusement. “I’ll see what I can do.” He responded. Natasha laughed. _If only,_ she thought. She did desperately wish she could get her hands on a bottle of vodka. The perks of making your own coffee and working for a man who had a bar in his office with all kinds of liquor. The man picked up two coffee cups from the side, one large and the other a smaller size, and went to the side to begin preparing hers and Steve's drink. Underneath the blue apron, Natasha could see he was wearing a tight, black dress shirt with the sleeves rolled up. His eyes were very blue, his dark, brown hair helped them stand out even more. He was a very good looking guy. Natasha couldn't understand why he didn't try to pursue a modeling career. He could easily make it. It would definitely be so much better than taking orders from people.

 

As he disappeared to the back, Natasha received a text message. She unlocked her phone and discovered it was a photo from Wanda and Clint. They were in a store and she could see a shelf with magazines behind them. On the picture, Clint was smiling and Wanda had her eyes closed with her lips puckered as she held a magazine next to her face.

 

She closed the picture to read the message. _Have a great day at work. Love you!_ Soon after, another message popped up. _Wanda wants you to zoom in on the magazine. She wants you to know she's **very** welcome._

 

Natasha opened up the picture again. Now that she was paying attention, she immediately spotted the man on the cover of the magazine. A shirtless man. As Natasha zoomed in, the face becomes clearer and she's gasping when she recognized him.

 

It's _Steve._

 

The shirtless man on the magazine is her boss. And he's perfectly carved. And perfectly built. And perfectly… _perfect._ Natasha couldn't help but notice that Steve is ripped and that his biceps bulge. In the image, Steve has on a white dress shirt, but it's fully unbuttoned and opened wide, allowing everyone to see his well-defined abs. He's also wearing dress pants. Hot _fucking_ damn. The formal clothes made the already arousing images a lot more hotter. The magazine is Forbes and it's titled “God Bless the Rogers Corporation! Steve Rogers is the Sexiest Man Alive”.

 

There was no denying Steve Rogers was hot.

 

He was also her boss.

 

Natasha immediately exit the picture.

 

 _I hate you!_ She typed quickly before turning off her phone.

 

Shirtless men were seen everywhere. Mowing the lawn, at the beach, exercising- literally anywhere. It wasn't uncommon. Steve, of course, had images of him lacking a shirt from photo shoots and from paparazzi’s that had found him at the beach on hot, summer days. Natasha had actually seen a few of them, but something about seeing him shirtless now that he was her boss and right before work made her face flush beet red.

 

“Ma’am?” The man called for Natasha’s attention. He was holding the two cups Natasha ordered.

 

“Thank you,” Natasha took out her wallet to pay, “How much is it going to be?”

 

The man shook his head, “Don’t worry about it, doll. It's on the house.”

 

Natasha smiled kindly at the young man. He couldn't be much older than her. Maybe two or three years older. At most four. He was kind. He hadn't made any unnecessary or inappropriate comments. He even played along with her vodka request. In a way, Natasha had meant it, she truly _did_ desire a shot or two to calm her nerves. However, she knew she wouldn't find any in a coffee shop.

 

“Are you sure? Won't you get in trouble with your boss?”

 

The man smiled and his eyes looked playful. As though he knew something she didn't. “It's fine. Let's just say the boss gave me permission to give you your order free.”

 

Natasha took the coffee cups from his hands. “Alright, then. Thanks! Oh, thank your boss for me, too.”

 

As Natasha exit the building, she realized she would be back to Howling Commando tomorrow and the day after that and for weeks to come. If this man worked in the mornings, she would see him tomorrow. She was going to make sure to ask for his name.

 

She climbed onto her car and ignited the engine, making sure the heater was on full blast. As she waited for her car to heat up, she took a sip of her black coffee. The strong drink quickly awakened her senses. However, something about this particular black coffee was stronger than any other “normal” coffee she'd drank. It tasted the same way as when she prepared it herself. As though it had _vodka._

 

Natasha quickly took another big drink from the cup, enjoying the acidic taste on her tongue as she swallowed slower, allowing her tastebuds to carefully savor the drink.

 

Vodka. There _was_ vodka in her drink.

 

Natasha looked up past her windshield to the wide window that allowed her a clear view inside Howling Commando. Her eyes instantly found the blue eyed man. He was taking an elder woman's order, but his eyes weren't on her. He was looking straight at Natasha, a teasing smile on his lips.

 

Natasha smirked as she raised her cup in the air.

 

Now she really wanted to know his name and thank him. She couldn't wait to come in tomorrow.

 

__________________

 

 

Natasha was knocking on Steve's door two minutes before eight o’clock. She opened the door and found Steve removing his suit’s jacket. “Mr. Rogers?” The cup of coffee was still hot against her hand. “I've got your coffee,”

 

Steve took it from her hand, smiling appreciatively. “Good morning, Miss Romanoff.” He sat down on his expensive chair and leaned back. He looked important and every bit like the CEO of a successful business. Steve took a gulp of his coffee. “I know it's your first day at Rogers Corporation, but you came in during a very busy time. We’ve just closed a deal with Tahiti and will soon have a resort built there.” Steve said, taking a sip of his coffee. Natasha didn't miss the slight grimace on his face. Had she ordered the wrong coffee? He asked for a caffè macchiato and that's exactly what she brought back.

 

So then, why was her boss staring confusingly at the cup of coffee in his hands?

 

“Is something wrong, sir?” She finally asked.

 

“No, no,” Steve shook his head, taking another sip and even going as far as licking his lips. “It's just a little stronger than usual.” Natasha almost exhaled in relief. For a moment, she thought she had fucked up her boss’ order. “These next couple of weeks are going to be very busy with preparations for our new addition. Therefore, you will be very busy right off the bat.”

 

Natasha smiled reassuringly. That was okay. She was here to work. “That's alright, sir. I do believe I will be able to get whatever it is you ask for done.”

 

“I like to hear that,” Steve got up from his chair and walked to the door. “Come, I would like to show you to your new office.” Natasha strolled to the door Steve was holding open. As soon as she walked out, she saw Phil walking alongside a beautiful Asian woman a few years younger than him. He immediately spotted her and waved his hand in acknowledgment with a small grin that always seemed to be on his face. “I see you've made some friends already.” Steve commented.

 

Natasha nodded, “We met yesterday. He's very nice.”

 

“Yes, he is.” Steve opened a door not far from his, and stepped in, Natasha following. The office she walked into was beautiful. It was significantly smaller in size than Steve’s, maybe even a little smaller than what she had at Stark Industries, but it was nicely decorated . The furniture was white and there was a lot of greenery that made the office beautifully stand out. The windows were so big they allowed a lot of light into the room. “I hope you find it comfortable.”

 

Natasha nodded. “Thank you, Mr. Rogers. It's beautiful.”

 

“On the desk there's a folder with contracts I've signed, but need you to revise, make sure everything is alright.” Natasha excitedly sat down on the leather chair in front of her new large, white marble desk. “Welcome to Rogers Corporation, ma’am.” Steve was leaving her office, but then turned around. “Miss Romanoff?"

 

She looked up. Steve looked like a god, the light coming in looking incredibly good on his eyes, skin, and white shirt. In fact, now that she was looking and with the bright sunlight coming in, she could tell he opted against wearing a shirt underneath. From where she was sitting, she could see exactly what she'd seen this morning on the magazine cover. Arms, abs, pecs… “Yes?” She breathed out.

 

“Do you know if this has alcohol?” He lifted up his cup of coffee in the air and shook it around.

 

_Shit._

 

No, this couldn't be happening to her. She had to stop herself from slapping her hand over her mouth in shock. Oh, my god! Why had she not been specific when she asked for vodka in her coffee. In her defense, she hadn't actually expected for her coffee to even have liquor in it. It was only her first day of work and she was already going to be fired. Shit, shit, _shit!_

 

She rose from her chair so quickly, the leather chair rolled until it was stopped by the wall. Her face demonstrated she was mortified and fearful and it confirmed Steve's suspicion.

 

“Sir, I'm so sorry! I was not aware _your_ cup of coffee had vodka.” Fuck. Did she have to specify exactly what his drink had?! “Actually, I didn’t even know mine had some.” Realizing how terrible that sounded, she decided to simply explain. “I jokingly asked for a shot on my black coffee. Imagine how surprised I was to find out it actually did have some. It never crossed my mind that yours could have some too. I'm very, _very_ sorry.”

 

She looked at Steve's face sheepishly. There was no expression there. She couldn't figure out what he was thinking. She had no way of knowing if he was angry or if he would be firing her. Steve was simply inspecting the coffee, swirling it around.

 

“Who asks for vodka so early in the morning?” He asked to no one in particular.

 

Oh, hell. He was going to fire her _and_ give her a lecture about vodka and its bad effects on your health. Just when she expected him to lash out, he let out a laugh instead. Was it a sarcastic laugh? She heard him mutter something along the lines of “vodka and coffee” and “not bad”.

 

He downed the rest of the drink, “Don't worry about it. That was actually pretty damn good.” He let out a laugh, “You’re something else, Natasha.” Steve said behind his shoulder as he walked to the door of her office.

 

Natasha watched as he approached the exit of the room, stunned. Had her boss really just taken this so easily? Was he _drunk?_

 

“Are you drunk?” Natasha called out before realizing it. This time, she did slap her hand over her mouth. _Why would you say that, Natasha. To your **boss!**_

 

However, Steve chuckled and smirked mischievously, “Not at all. It takes a lot more than a shot of vodka to get me drunk.” He shared about himself, proudly.

 

As a Russian, Natasha had always taken pride on being able to hold down alcoholic beverages better than a lot of her friends. She was sure she could easily out-drink Steve. “Doubt it,” She muttered under her breath.

 

Unfortunately, Steve heard. “What’s that, Natasha? Are you challenging me?” He opened the door, “Cause that sure as hell sounded like a challenge and, I'll have you know, I never back down from a challenge.” He smirked over his shoulder and winked before closing the door behind him.

 

Natasha took in a deep, shaky breath. Steve had been calling her from her first name and she never expected it to sound so damn hot. Also, she'd just given her boss a large cup of coffee with vodka. To make matters worse, she'd somehow ended up in a drinking challenge with her boss. She slumped down onto her chair.

 

 _Fucking hell,_ she thought.

  


	3. Chapter 3

 

In the last eight hours, since she began working as Steve Rogers’ assistant, Natasha had learned three important details about him. Firstly, Steve had been in the military before he became CEO and had even gone as far as being ranked captain. Apparently, he had had a hard time being accepted into the Army, though, because he'd been a sickly, skinny kid. That was the second jaw dropping news she found out. Steve Rogers- tall, muscular Steve Rogers- had been scrawny once.

 

She couldn't believe it when Wanda sent her a photo and a message attached that said: “Guess who?”. It looked just like Steve, and didn't at the same time. His eyes were the same. His lips, as well as his well-defined cheekbones and jawline, were the same too. But almost everything else was completely different. His hair, although the same shade, had been styled differently then than from the way he had it now. His height was a big difference. He couldn't have been more than 5’4”, no where close in comparison to his towering 6’2” stature. Most assuredly, his body had gone through the most drastic change of all. She knew Steve must have worked hard for his killer body.

 

Still, skinny Steve was handsome. He looked innocent. _Pure_. Nothing at all to the ‘sexy man’ title he had been given over the years, but still a good looking man.

 

Lastly, Natasha found out Steve was good at what he did. He was ruthless and downright terrifying when it came down to business, but, nonetheless, a good businessman.

 

“The plans for the resort in Tahiti have gone accordingly. Both our construction team and the town mayor have approved the blueprints. I have the estimated budget here and, if you approve, you may sign here and we can start the construction by next week.” An older man said, pushing a folder with the contract towards Steve.

 

Natasha was sitting next to Steve in a long table as they attended a meeting in the conference room. She had gotten plenty of experience when she had worked for Tony, so she knew she had to listen intently, take brief notes of important matters, and could even occasionally make a helpful comment.

 

What she couldn't do was doodle. As boring as the meeting is, never get caught doodling.

 

Fortunately, she was good at paying attention. She prided herself in being able listen throughout the whole while of a meeting, catching every detail even as unimportant as it was, and of being able to take excellent notes. She promised herself she would never get caught doodling because she was professional and good at being an assistant, the same way Steve was good at running a company.

 

That’s why she was shocked to find Steve drawing on his paper. The CEO of Rogers Corporation was drawing a circus monkey during his own meeting.

 

So, actually, Natasha had learned four intriguing details about her boss on her first day.

 

Her latest discovery was that Steve Rogers could draw. And he did it well, she noticed. The circle that was the wheel of the unicycle the monkey was on was perfect. As though he'd had something circular to trace. But as she quickly inspected her surroundings she confirmed that Steve had drawn it himself. Also, the shading was exquisite. It gave the doodle a somewhat realistic and 3Dish look.

 

“Tahiti is a magical place,” Nat heard Phil say from a few chairs away from her, causing low chuckles to go around the room. Soon after, all eyes were on Steve, patiently waiting for their boss to say something; to approve the contract and sign it so the meeting could be done and over with and they'd be able to go back to whatever it was they were previously doing or their next task.

 

Natasha tapped Steve’s leg under the table to get his attention. His eyes left his paper and looked up at Natasha. A playful smile was dancing on his lips because he'd been caught and Natasha couldn't help but feel amused by her boss. He hadn't realized yet the watchful eyes, so Natasha motioned to them with her head, a smile on her lips as she did so.

 

His eyes left hers as he noticed a few pairs of eyes blinking at him. Nat was almost sure he had no idea what it was that they were talking about. Just as she was about ready to brief her boss, Steve proved her wrong, clearing his throat before speaking. “I want the resort to be ready in a year.” He said, taking out a pen from a pocket inside his jacket. He's just about to sign it, but something makes him change his mind and Natasha is watching him as he crossed his arms. “Why start construction until next week? We have the construction team ready, correct?” The man nodded, allowing Steve to proceed. “You also said we have the approval, so why not start tomorrow morning?”

 

“Well, Mr. Rogers,” The man stuttered. He pulled at his collar and cleared his throat, “I'm sure we can have them start immediately if you'd like that.”

 

Steve smiled, intimidatingly, “I'd love that.” He pulled the folder forward and elegantly signed his name. “Miss Romanoff and I will be visiting Tahiti in a few months to see the progress done to the resort.” Natasha slightly frowned. Had Steve just said she would be attending this trip without consulting her? She mentally shrugged. She was definitely not complaining. She'd never visited an exotic island like Tahiti and planned on taking full advantage of said trip. “You're dismissed.”

 

They gathered their corresponding belongings and walked out as Natasha stayed behind and cleaned up a bit, sorting out important papers into a neat pile. As she walked out, Nat spotted Steve leaning on the wall outside of the conference room on his phone, his fingers moving rapidly on the screen. When he noticed her, he turned off his phone and instantly put it away.

 

“Can I help you, Mr. Rogers?” Natasha asked, confusingly.

 

“No, I'm okay. Thank you.” Steve cleared his throat. “Just wanted to let you know you're free to go to lunch whenever you'd like.”

 

She hadn't realized till then that she was starving. Her stomach growled at the mention of food. “Okay, thank you. I'll be going now then.” He’s turning around when Natasha decided to speak again. “Uh, Mr. Rogers?” Steve turned his head and lifted his eyebrows, signaling her to continue. “Would you like to join me?” And then because she thought she was being too forward, she added, “I mean, I haven't seen you eat lunch either. I could always bring something back for you if you'd prefer that.” She felt her cheeks get hotter and her palms were becoming sweaty. Why was she acting like this? She remembered immediately feeling comfortable around Tony. She blamed the mess-ups she’d experienced the day prior and this morning. Three strikes and you’re out. Well, she was most definitely fearing that third “strike” that would surely cause her to lose her job. Her nervousness could’ve also been caused by Steve’s good looks, but she’d rather believe it was the former.

 

Steve was caught off guard. He hadn't expected this so he almost denied the invitation, thinking it would be unprofessional, but decided against it. What was wrong with eating lunch with his assistant? It wasn't like it was a date. Natasha was just being kind and simply wanted to get to know her new boss better. So he decided to accept, much to his surprise.

 

“Sure, that would be great.” He nodded his head.

 

Natasha smiled, “Great!”

 

Steve made his way to the elevator and Natasha followed. She had planned to have lunch at her house- maybe prepare a sandwich or, if Clint was home, pasta. But now that Steve was coming with her, she thought it would be for the best to eat elsewhere. In fact, she knew just the place. “Could we make a quick stop at my place first?”

 

Steve nodded his head as he pressed the main lobby button on the elevator. “Sure,”

 

They rode the elevator in silence. It was an uncomfortable silence. She skimmed through her mind different topics she could bring up in hopes to light up a conversation, but nothing good came up. “Nice weather we’re having, isn't it?” She finally blurted out.

 

Steve chuckled softly next to her, noticing she was trying to spark a conversation. “I'll have you know I don't like the cold very much.”

 

“Really?” Natasha loved the cold. Well, actually it was more like she'd grown accustomed to it. Winters were harsh in Russia. But she had good memories of the winters in her country. Her first kiss had been on a snowy day. She remembered dancing on the snow as more fell from the sky with the other girls at the orphanage where she grew up. She also could distinctly recall ice skating and building a snowman with her parents whom she could barely even remember.

 

As they exited the massive building, Natasha spotted her car from the corner of her eye and instinctively started making her way to it, but Steve reached forward and grabbed her arm. “We’re taking my car,” He simply stated, nodding his head in the other direction. And of course, not even ten seconds later, they stop in front of a white, luxurious car that almost knocked the breath out of her. Natasha gasped. “You like it?” Steve smirked.

 

“Can I drive it?” Natasha blurted out as she admired the beauty in front of her.

 

Steve mockingly scoffed. “Over my dead body,” He opened the passenger door and allowed her in, closing it once she's seated inside. As she inspected the inside of the expensive car, Nat did not miss the leather seats. Hot damn, what a car! Her car wasn't terrible. She actually loved it. Working as the assistant of a very rich man like Tony Stark had allowed her to buy her black 2014 Corvette and then also a badass motorcycle like the ones she only saw in action movies. Either way, Steve's car had to have costed him three or four times more than what Natasha spent on her Corvette.

 

“Of course you have a Cadillac,” Was the first thing Nat said to Steve when he got in the car.

 

“Yes, so you should be honored I'm letting you ride in this beauty.” His eyes roamed over his car lovingly. Then, he pointed to the GPS. “Type in your address.” He ordered just as they left the parking lot of his beautiful and successful building.

 

The GPS soon had her address and was giving Steve orders. She was thankful she didn't live far. Suddenly, she was feeling excitement about having lunch with her boss. Of course, she still felt nervousness, but overall what was making her leg bounce up and down was definitely excitement.

 

“So you’re going to be Pep’s maid of honor?” Steve broke the silence.

 

She nodded. Tony's and Pepper’s wedding was coming up. Nat was surprised when Pepper had chosen her as her maid of honor. She could clearly remember Pepper not being too fond of her when she first began working for Tony. That was before they both began dating and, even though she didn't know them very well then, she could clearly see they were both in love with each other. Everyone could see it.

 

Everyone except for Tony.

 

Tony was a complicated man. He used to live everyday off alcohol, parties, women and sex. She will never be able to understand how Pepper ever fell in love with him. He had his qualities, of course. Like the fact that he's incredibly brilliant. And there's no denying Tony was a good looking man. However, Pepper had worked for him for so long and seen him at his worst, and yet had somehow still caught feelings for him. She loved Tony from afar as he partied and fucked women and he was oblivious to it all. He was oblivious to the fact that Pepper had been madly in love with him for so many years. He was oblivious to the fact that he was in love with her. And he was oblivious to the pain that he brought upon Pepper.

 

Nat would never be able to understand how Pepper fell in love with him and then accepted him when Tony finally realized he wanted her. How could somebody so pure and strong fall in love with someone so broken and damaged? Regardless, they were perfect for each other. She brought the best part of him out. She made him want to be a better person.

 

Pepper was Tony's perfect redemption. She was the best thing that could have occurred to him; with her came his happily ever after. _Their_ happily ever after.

 

“Yes,” She answered. In less than two months Tony and Pepper would be getting married. Their wedding was going to be big and hundreds of people were invited, including paparazzi, because Tony was always extravagant. Then it hit her. She would’ve met Steve in two months even if she hadn't ended up working for him. It hadn't even crossed her mind. But it made sense that Pepper and Tony invite Steve seeing as how they are all friends. “I'm assuming you were invited?”

 

“That's right."He chuckled next to her, “Actually, I'm Tony’s _best_ man.”

 

Natasha opened her mouth in shock. She angled her body toward Steve. “You're kidding,” If things had occurred differently, not only would she have met Steve in person in two months, but now she would've also been interacting with him. She would be walking down the aisle and dancing with the hot business mogul. “What happened to Rhodey?"

 

Steve faked hurt. He quickly turned his head to her and showed her a pout. Damn, this man could do anything with his face and look good. “I'm going to pretend you didn't say that, Natasha. What's wrong with me being the best man? I'll be the first to admit I can’t dance, but I'll be okay. I do, after all, have the maid of honor to help me.” He flashed her a toothy grin and winked.

 

She was taken aback by the wink. It made him appear playful and the butterflies in her stomach were an effect of the wink and smile. The smile he showed her is a very nice smile, one that reached his eyes. She noticed he looked so much better when he smiled and his bright blue eyes glimmered. Noticing she had been openly ogling him, she tore her gaze away from his perfectly sculpted face.

 

Damn him for having a perfect side profile.

 

“You don't know how to dance?” She couldn't believe it. Finally, something Steve wasn't good at. “The famous business mogul can't dance?"

 

"Hey, don't look at me like that. I'll be signing your paychecks."

 

"You've been going to parties for years and you've never learned to dance?" Natasha burst out laughing. "Well, you have nothing to worry about, Rogers, I'm more than willing to teach you." Steve smiled gratefully. "Anyway, what happened to Rhodey?" 

 

They were at a stop light and as Natasha turned to look out the window she noticed they would be arriving to her house soon.

 

“He won't be able to attend the wedding in person. He's been gone for almost a month now with the army. As colonel and Tony's best friend, he's the one most qualified to demonstrate Stark’s weapons to the other soldiers. Bad timing, to be honest.” The playful smile was back on his face. “Luckily, Tony has other friends. I promise, I'm not bad company.”

 

Nat actually had a hard time imagining him partying. And now that he had confessed he couldn't dance, even more so. What exactly did you talk about with a man whose world revolved around business deals anyway?

 

The car began slowing down. Natasha looked out the windshield and saw her house at the end of the street. She pointed at it. “It's that one.”

 

He drove into the parking lot and Nat noticed Clint’s car in it.

 

Nat and her best friend shared a very beautiful home. They were both alone in this world, with only a few friends. She first met Clint five years ago when she moved to New York from Russia when she was twenty one. He was twenty seven then. They hit it off immediately, and both quickly decided they could trust each other. They both learned they were very similar. He had lost his parents when he was young, leaving him and his brother Barney alone. A few years after losing his parents, his brother was murdered brutality. Natasha also lost both parents in a fire when she was young. Too young to even remember.

 

Clint and her met in a gym. Both were martial artists and had mastered all moves from tae kwon do and jiu jitsu and sambo amongst others. Before the two of them were friends, they were enemies. They were competitive fighters. Natasha had caught Clint’s attention when a herd of men and women circled around her as she fought. As if to show off, the next time he saw Nat at the gym, he began performing dangerous stunts and people were awe struck. It went like that for a few weeks, both silently showing off their moves, each time performing a better move than the other.

 

Eventually, Natasha went up to him and challenged him. She knew she was good, but she had to admit that fighting against the talented man would be slightly difficult. Both were precise and extremely skilled. He smirked and accepted. Both stood in front of the other, people around them watching and placing bets in seconds. When Clint attacked, twisting his body and bringing up a leg for a kick as he jumped, and didn't hold back strength, Natasha knew she liked him and would make a great friend. In the end, Nat managed to beat him. She thanked her quick reflexes as well as her agility. Through the years, they've both taught each other what they know and keep learning together. She loved that Clint didn’t pull his punches. He didn't see her as a woman when they fought, he saw her as an excellent combatant. All her wins were honest, and all of his were honest too. It was always all their skills and all their strength when they fought, nothing less.

 

What she loved about their relationship was that it was totally platonic. People always assume that a man and woman can't be friends, but that was what Clint and her were. Just friends. He was her best friend. Her brother. The person she relied on and trusted the most.

 

Buying the house was his idea. He proposed they buy the house right after he started working at the gym of their close friend Nick Fury. She'd been Tony's assistant for almost a year then. At first, she was reluctant. Owning a house was something she didn’t think she would accomplish so soon after her arrival to the land of opportunity. However, her friend was making this dream possible. One look at the house and she knew she wanted it.

 

It was beautiful and had more than sufficient room for the two of them.. The house had a brown porch that was surrounded by a white fence. The fact that there was so many windows made Nat fall in love with the house when she first saw it. Inside, the first floor consisted of only the living room, kitchen, dining room, a small restroom, and a study room. On the second floor, there was a bigger restroom and three bedrooms, two of which were taken by them, and the third one Nat had allowed Clint to make with it whatever he pleased. Now, anything and everything was put in that small room including his bows and arrows, a TV with all sorts of gaming consoles attached to it, and a treadmill and punching bag.

 

She couldn't thank Clint enough for their home. It was the promise of a new beginning after her terrible divorce. Her house was one step closer to being able to live a normal, happy life after all the hardships she had to go through.

 

Actually, she couldn't thank Clint enough for his _friendship._ For being with her when she most needed someone to be there for her.

 

“You're home is beautiful,” Steve commented as Nat inserted the key in the lock and twisted the doorknob.

 

“Thanks.” She said honestly. “I bet your house is much nicer, but I truly appreciate it.”

 

Steve inspected the house and she was glad Clint and her had thought about cleaning last night. “Um, would you like something to drink?” She asked when she had made it to the fridge.

 

“Vodka is fine.” He said teasingly, a playful smile dancing on his lips. She poured a shot of vodka and then decided to pour another one for herself too. She took them over to Steve and slid one to him. Steve looked at Natasha challengingly as he took it and lifted an eyebrow. They both tilt the shot upwards, allowing the cool liquid to pour inside their mouths, Steve slightly grimacing at the bitterness.

 

“I'm really sorry about your coffee this morning,” Natasha apologized once again.

 

Steve chuckled. “I already said it was fine.” He looked around her place once again before asking, “So, what exactly are we doing in your house.”

 

Oh, right, she'd almost forgotten about lunch. “I'm going to change clothes before we head out.” She looked down at his nicely ironed shirt and his expensive jacket. “Now that I think about it, you're clothing isn't appropriate for where I'm taking you.”

 

“Nat?” She heard her best friend call from upstairs. Footsteps were followed shortly after that. Soon, Clint was peering into the kitchen where Natasha and Steve were standing. He smiled. “Hey, Tasha. Are you already home from work?”

 

Natasha shook her head. “Just going out to lunch. Clint, this is Steve Rogers, my boss. Mr. Rogers, this is Clint Barton.” Natasha didn't really have to tell Clint who it was that was in their house seeing as how he and Wanda sent her photos of him shirtless this morning. Still, Clint's eyebrows shot up in surprise, his eyes slightly widened and his mouth dropped open, a small gasp escaping, when he turned his attention onto the man and realized that the famous business mogul was truly in their house.

 

Despite his surprised reaction, that she was sure Steve hadn’t missed, Nat was thankful when Clint simply offered Steve his hand to shake and tried to conceal his surprise. “Hey, man. Nice meeting you.”

 

Steve shook his hand and stiffly nodded his head. “Likewise,” He responded.

 

Natasha interrupted, “Clint, could you lend him a shirt and maybe some pants.” Steve was way too overdressed for where she was planning on taking him.

 

Clint nodded. “Sure, just keep in mind that he's a lot bigger than me. And taller.” He checked Steve out from head to toe. “My god, you're a beast!” He exclaimed and Natasha mentally nodded her head in agreement. He rushed out of the room and ran up the stairs as she's taking out a picnic basket from bottom drawer.

 

As soon as her posture is straightened, she noticed Steve was sporting a thoughtful frown on his face and he's opening his mouth to speak. “I had no idea you were married,” He let out.

 

She shook her head, taking out leftover lasagna from the night before. “I’m not married.”

 

“Engaged?”

 

“Nope.” She placed plates and utensils inside the basket, then turned to Steve.

 

His frown had deepened. “Who's that then?” He asked, lifting his finger to point behind his back where Clint had ran off to.

 

Natasha let out a laugh. “Clint? That's my best friend. Our relationship is completely platonic.” This was quite amusing. Her boss thought Clint and her were something more than friends. She couldn't blame him. They were living together after all. “We do have a pact, though. If we're both not married by the time we’re forty, we’ll be paying a visit to the infamous Little White Wedding Chapel in Vegas and get hitched.” They had arranged this when Clint had gone through a nasty break up with his ex-girlfriend Bobbi. Nat felt so bad for him, she decided to share with him the story of her disastrous relationship with Alexei.

 

“That's.. nice.” Steve answered, nodding his head, thoughtfully. Suddenly, he’s smirking and taking Natasha completely by surprise. “If your friend gets married and _you're_ still single when you're forty, I’ll marry you if _I'm_ single.”

 

Natasha's jaw dropped. Steve Rogers had just proposed marriage to her.

 

Well… not really, but it sure as hell felt as though she had been proposed to by an insanely attractive billionaire. Obviously, though, that sort of thing was something she would only see occur in those cheesy rom-com movies Clint always insisted on watching. She felt slight disappointment when she thought about the fact that he wasn't actually being serious. How could somebody so good looking not be married by that time, anyway?

 

Still, it didn't stop the fact that there was suddenly butterflies in her stomach. “Then I might have to stay single on purpose.” She boldly answered and when she turned to meet Steve’s eyes she noticed they held a glint of amusement.

 

Clint came back with a shirt nicely folded and some sweatpants. He threw it in Steve's direction and he caught it swiftly mid air. “That was my biggest shirt, but I think it's going to be too small for you either way.”

 

Natasha guided Steve to the restroom and, once he was inside, then left to her room to retrieve clothes. She swaped her black pencil skirt and red blouse for black tights and a simple sweatshirt.

 

Steve was already waiting for her when she stepped down the stairs. She noticed that the shirt definetely fit him too small. It was pressed tightly around his chest and his arms and his waist. If she looked closely, she was sure she would be able to count his abs. Adverting her eyes away, she cleared her throat. “Are you ready?” She asked him.

 

Natasha didn't miss his wandering eyes checking her legs out. Subtly, she smirked to herself, feeling proud of her long legs that she had worked hard to sculpt. At least she wasn't the only one checking the other out.

 

She cleared her throat and Steve's eyes were on her green ones almost instantaneously. He visibly swallowed, then nodded his head. “Yeah. Let's go.”

 

He walked past her, their arms brushing as he walked to the door and exitedher house.

 

“I'm leaving, Clint,” She yelled up the stairs, her voice echoing throughthe quiet house. She grabbed the picnic basket and grabbed Steve’s suit that he’d neatly folded and left on an armchair. Natasha closed the door behind her and jogged to Steve's car. Bending down to level herself with the rolled down window, she said, “Are you sure I can't drive?”

 

He smirked, arrogantly. “Positive.” Natasha chuckled as she made her way to the passenger side. Once she was in, she was ordered to put the address on his GPS and he drove through the busy streets of New York. Nat was actually surprised he hadn't questioned where she was taking him. In all honesty, she was surprised she decided to take him there. It didn't really seem appropriate. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more she regretted her decision. Her leg bounced up and down the whole ride. This was a stupid idea.

 

But it was too late to change her mind because soon they were arriving and Steve was putting his car on park and then pulling out the keys.

 

Steve looked up at the building. “Are we in the right place?” He turned to look at her now. “Where are we supposed to be anyway?”

 

Natasha laughed nervously. She knew this had been a bad idea. Why had she even thought about bringing him here of all places? “Look, before you say anything, how about we just go in?”

 

He turned his head away from her and looked out his window, casting a long glance at the building. “I'm not saying anything,” Steve promised. “It just doesn't look like a restaurant.”

 

“That's because it isn't.” Nat responded. She guided him inside through the wide doors that loudly screeched the further she pushed them open. She reached to the left, blindly searching for the switch and flicked it on. Row by row, the lights flickered on and illuminated the large room.

 

Next to her, Steve’s eyebrows had shot up in surprise. “Did you bring me to a boxing gym, Natasha?”

 

Natasha casted Steve an inquiring glance. “Yes. Yes, I did.” She wanted to laugh. She wanted to cry. All that kept going through her mind now was ‘this is my third strike’. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what I was thinking. I just- I couldn’t have taken you to one of those restaurants you’re used to. They’re too expensive. Like, stupid expensive. And I was definitely not taking you to get a burger from McDonald’s. I don’t even know why I’m getting all worked up about this. This isn’t even a date and I’m not trying to impress you. Well, actually I am,” Steve’s eyebrows shot up. _Impress me? What exactly for?_ He thought. “I kind of have to make up for all those fuck ups I had the other day and today. I just keep messing up, but I promise I’m good at wha-“

 

“Natasha. Natasha!” She stopped her rambling. “Stop. Just… Shh.” Natasha nodded, wide eyed. Was this when he’d fire her and leave?

 

Steve took the picnic basket from her hands and grabbed her elbow lightly. “Come,” He said. Steve began guiding her to the boxing ring. He pulled two rows of the parallel rope upwards and let Natasha get in before him. “Look, you came in late yesterday and raised your voice at me, and this morning you handed me my cup of coffee _with_ vodka --,”

 

Natasha groaned loudly, embarrassed. “Oh, please, stop. Just fire me. I don’t want to hear it.”

 

“ _But_ , I’m not going to fire you for that. Not yet, anyway. Although, maybe a third mistake will do it.” Ah, so she’d been right. “The point is, I don’t mind eating lunch with you on a boxing ring. It’ll be fun.” Truth was, Steve was actually going to love eating away from the public. A simple outing, such as grocery shopping or even something more private like a night out with the guys, sometimes resulted in having papparazzi’s taking pictures of him and he couldn’t quite enjoy his time with friends, or his vacations, or his lunch, for instance.

 

Natasha smiled gratefully. She reached for the picnic basket and took out the Tupperware with the lasagna. She quickly went to Nick’s office, where she knew he had a microwave, and put their lunch in it for 5 minutes. While she waited, she skimmed through the pictures Fury had on his desk of trophies. She paused on the oldest one. Natasha had seen it so many times, but in never ceased to surprise her. That picture had been taken when he was twenty-seven. His hair was longer and had curls in it, and the goatee he still sported was longer then. However, what made this picture so different from the other ones is that both Fury’s eyes were fine. He says he lost eyesight of his left eye two years after winning his last championship belt. A tough guy had knocked him out cold and left him with a bad eye. The doctors had worked hard to try and fix the damage done, but instead they’d scarred it and left it unrepairable.

 

That’s how he’d ended up with a gym where he trained other aspiring boxers or simply allowed men and women of all ages entrance. Fury’s gym was actually where Clint and Natasha had met and where they trained now. They were both good friends of Nick, so he allowed them to visit the gym whenever they liked.

 

The microwave beeped loudly. She put the frame where she found it, then grabbed the Tupperware carefully so as to not burn herself. When she neared the boxing ring, she was surprised to find Steve had layed out a blanket on the floor and was seated atop it, shoes now off. Natasha had actually half expected him to be long gone.

 

“I’m glad you had a tablecloth in the basket. I was kind of nervous about eating on the floor where there’s been blood and sweat.” He joked.

 

Natasha rolled her eyes, the corner of her mouth slightly sliding upwards.

 

They ate her leftover lasagna on the floor of a boxing ring, contently. They conversed a lot, like two friends catching up after many years of not seeing each other. She learned that his favorite color is blue. Not as light as his eyes, but a darker blue. Like the hue of a blueberry, or as he’d explained it when she asked him to describe further: “You know, a dark blue. Dark like Dory or Stitch.” That had resulted in her finding out he was a big Disney and Pixar fan, mostly Disney though. Natasha herself shared a little about herself, as well.

 

“So, why did Tony fire you?” Steve asked her.

 

Natasha rolled her eyes as she put their dirty plates away back into the basket. “He didn’t _fire_ me. Just let me go cause I was no longer needed. Had you not hired me, though, Tony was more than willing to allow me to continue working until either he found somewhere for me to work or I did.”

 

Steve nodded slowly, “Okay, then, why were you ‘no longer needed’?”

 

Natasha got up to her feet and climbed down the ring and made her way to the locker she knew belonged to Clint. “Well, I was Tony’s assistant for three years, and everyone knows that before there was me there was Pepper.” The locker opened after she put the combination in. She took out a bandage and started wrapping it around her hand like she’s done so many times before. “Last week, Tony made Pepper CEO of Stark Industries, and because she used to be his assistant, she believes she is capable of being both CEO and her own assistant.”

 

“Tony made Pepper CEO?!”

 

Natasha shrugged, “That’s right. She’s practically been running Stark Industries since she was Stark’s secretary anyway, so you shouldn’t have to worry about much change.” Natasha finished wrapping her other hand and looked up at Steve. “Wanna spar?”

 

"What?" Steve looked at her wrapped hands, unsure. He had no idea whether or not she could box. In fact, that didn’t even matter to him. It was the height and weight difference that made him uneasy. He was no professional. Sure, he boxed from time to time, but it was nothing special. Nothing like the badass fighters he’s seen on movies, anyway. Still, he could potentially injure her. “I’m not sure that would be a good idea.”

 

Natasha was standing in front of him, in the middle of the ring now. “Why? Scared I might kick your ass, big guy?”

 

"Because," he said, "I don't want to hurt you."

 

She scoffed. "You can try, but you won't."

 

“I know some boxing,” He warned.

 

“I know some taekwondo,” She replied, nonchalantly, shrugging her shoulders lightly. “Come on, Rogers. Hit me.”

 

Steve shook his head no. “I’m a lot bigger than you, Natasha. I could really hurt you. If you don’t block I could give you a black eye or a bruised cheek. Or worse, a broken nose.”

 

Natasha almost laughed. If only he knew it was almost impossible to hurt her. She was too fast. Too _good_. “I promise you won’t hurt me. Look, if it means anything to you, don’t put all your strength into it. I’ll block or duck. Promise.” He still seemed uneasy. “Come on, _Steve,”_

 

Finally, he mumbled a ‘fine’ and moved in front of her, bare feet apart, legs spread in a wide stance, and his knees slightly bent. His hands come up to his face, tightly balled. The punch comes soon after, the swing lacking strength and speed. Nat rolled her eyes in annoyance. Men, she thought.

 

Gracefully, Natasha caught the punch. She takes advantage of his bent knee and used it to boost her up. She stepped on his knee with one foot and the other leg quickly came up and wrapped itself around his neck. When she had her thighs secured tightly around Steve's neck, Natasha used her upper body weight to spin and bring him down onto the ground. While Natasha landed perfectly on her knee, one leg stretched out for dramatic effect, Steve was sprawled on the floor, many emotions flashing on his face. Shock, confusion, surprise, shock again, and finally settles on amazement.

 

It happened too quickly, in three seconds maybe, that Steve hadn’t even really realized what exactly occurred until he was on the ground and replaying it in his mind over and over again.

 

“Holy shit,” Steve let out. “You said you knew some taekwondo. _Some._ " Steve sat up.

 

Natasha shrugged her shoulders. “Well, I might’ve lied a little.”

 

Suddenly, Steve is remembering a tale that went around a few years back. “There was this story told by many businessmen a few years back. I remember Tony began the tale so some people believed it to be false. Anyway, the story goes that Tony had an interview with an assistant and she beat Happy’s ass in some badass fighting style.” Steve smiled fondly at the memory of Tony trying to explain just how it had happened. “Damn, that was talk for months in Tony’s parties. You know, many people want to put a face to the mystery woman.”

 

Natasha’s eyes twinkled in amusement and a grin played on her lips as she listened. “Yeah, I heard stories about her too.”

 

“I’ve always wanted to know if this woman existed. I mean, who pulls a badass stunt, that could potentially lead them to trouble, on their meeting with their possible future boss. This woman had no idea Tony was going to be enticed instead of furious and yet she beat Happy’s ass.” Steve chuckled. “Hey, Nat?”

 

“Hm?”

 

“You’re the badass assistant, aren’t you?”

 

Natasha burst out laughing. “I wasn't aware I was being called a 'badass assistant', or that my first meeting with Tony and Pepper was a hot topic at Stark's parties. Huh, feels good.” She admitted.

 

“The mystery badass assistant is real, and she’s _my_   assistant.” He said, more to himself than her. He turned to Natasha. “Of course it’s you. It makes sense.”

 

Natasha hit his arm playfully. “Alright, I have a question for you, which you do not have to answer. I feel like if you don't answer it, though, you're kind of answering it, you know?"

 

"What?"

 

She smirked. "Was that the first time you boxed in, I don't know, a while?"

 

"That bad, huh?"

 

"I didn't say that." Natasha clarified.

 

"Well, it kind of sounds like that's what you're saying."

 

"No, I didn't, I just wondered how much practice you've had." She answered, a teasing smile playing on her lips.

 

"I don't need practice,"

 

"Everybody needs practice. For example, your defense is in desperate need of practice. It's a bit rusty --,"

 

He cut her off. "I box at least twice a week. So, the fact that you knocked me down so easily severely wounded my ego." He rose to his feet, extending a hand out to her. When she took it, he pulled her up, then hooked his foot around her ankle and pulled it, making her lose balance. Natasha hit the ground with a satisfying thud.

 

Natasha gasped, shocked. It was now her turn to lay on the ground, defeated. "What the hell was that?"

 

"It's called mixed martial arts."

 

"It's called dirty boxing." She got up on her own this time, chuckling under her breath at the surreal, odd day it had become. "Let's call it even. For now. This really is not over yet, Steve Rogers."

 

Steve smiled. Just a little smile at first, but as it grew it pressed his rosy cheeks up and slowly revealed his teeth. He nodded, "I should warn you, though, I'm not used to losing."

 

She smirked, "Then I won't go easy on you," Natasha smiled lightly. This hadn’t turned out bad at all. In fact, she was sure she’d seen a side of Steve not many were privileged to see. She hoped this was the start of a good friendship with her boss.

 

“We’d ought to go.” Steve said. “It's getting late and I need to head back to the office. You, however, can have the rest of the afternoon off."

 

They drove back to her place, the music lightly playing in the background as Steve asked her just how many fighting styles she knew, how she’d learn, and if she was willing to teach him anything.

 

“Thank you for lunch, Natasha, it was delicious and fun, I’ve got to admit.”

 

Natasha smiled, gratefully. “I’m glad you accepted my invitation. I’ll see you tomorrow at 8am sharp with a large caffè macchiato.”

 

Steve nodded, “No vodka tomorrow.”

 

“No vodka,” She promised. She looked at Steve. His hair was messy and he looked playful. “Good night, Mr. Rogers,” She whispered.

 

“Good night, Miss Romanoff,”

 

She opened the door to his car, taking the picnic basket with her, and climbed out of the car. When she was standing outside of her door, struggling with the key, she heard Steve say, “Don’t be late tomorrow,” from the rolled down window, before the engine loudly rumbled to life and whisked out of her neighborhood.

 

Natasha would definitely not be late tomorrow.

 


End file.
